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Home , Bangladesh, Law of Bangladesh, Sundarbans

Restoration Perspective Capacity Building workshop for central, South and East on conservation and restoration to support achievement of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets

14 to 18 Jeju Day 4 of Korea

Md. Tariqul Department Bangladesh [email protected] BangladeshCountry Profile

Area ; 147,570 sq km Population ; 160 million (Highest Density in the ) ; 2.33 m. hec.(0.014 hectares forest per person) ; 23% Income ; 1044 US $

Forests of Bangladesh

Forest types Area (m. ha.) % to country’s FD managed Forest 1.60 10.85% Un-classed State Forest 0.73 4.95% Total 2.33 15.80% Forests in Homestead 1.88 12.74% FD managed Forests Forest Types Area (m. ha.) % to country’s area Hill Forest 0.63 4.28% Forest 0.60 4.07%

Littoral Forests 0.05 0.34% Mangrove 0.20 1.35%

Plain land (Sal) Forest 0.12 0.81% Total 1.60 10.85% Protected Areas (PAs) in Bangladesh

Number of PA – 37 nos Area – 265,736 ha which is 1.8% of Country • 16.58 % of forest

• Proposed • 15 PAs with 1,96,065 ha.

• About 62% area of PAs are managed under Participatory system (co- management)

Sundarbans

Sundarbans  The largest mangrove forest in the world, covers 6017 Sq km in Bangladesh (10,000 sq km including Indian part),

 A World Heritage Site and Ramsar site. One third of Sundarbans is water , About 4.2% of Bangladesh and about 44% of the forests.

 Sundarbans harbour 315 species of including and Irrawaddy Dolphins, spotted deer, , birds and snakes etc.

 512 species of flora of which about 70% is Sundari (Heritera fomes) from which it derives its name.

 The Sundarbans has been managed since 1879.

Ecosystem Services from Sundarbans  Provisioning: Timber, fuel-wood, fish, materials, , bee wax, shells etc. 300,000 people dependent for subsistence.  Supporting: Largest remaining for the Honey collection and Spawning ground for fishes and aquatic fauna. Barrier to and tidal surges,  Regulating: The world’s largest mangrove carbon sink. Purifying water and air.  Cultural : More than 1 million people visit a year. Thousands people get bath during Rush Mela to get rid of sin. Believe in Banabibi for the safety of life. Goran Fuel-wood

Tourism Spiritual Services Fishing Sidr. S u  On 15 of 2007 , struck the Sundarbans with of 250 kph (155 n mph) speed and triggered a 5-meter (16-ft) d tidal surge from the , a r  The number of death is estimated around 3,500 b people, affected 2.3 millions households. a n  At least 30 percent of the Sundarbans was s destroyed by the Cyclone. a  The total damage and loss caused was f estimated as 1.7 billion US Dollar. t e r S

i The Sundarban s and the coastal d largely offset the adverse r impact of the cyclone and associated tidal surge. Restoration after Sidr– Mangrove can regenerate naturally if the normal hydrology and the supply of seeds and propagules from adjacent stands are not disturbed. Accordingly the Sundarbns restoration process after the Cyclone SIDR was left to the nature. To facilitate the natural rehabilitation processes undisturbed, all terrestrial activities in Sundarbans was banned for a year. Most of the trees, turned brown as suffered from unusually high caused by the Sidr’s heavy tidal wave, turns to within few weeks. Study shows the nature was able to recover the damage of Sundarbns Mangrove in one year.

Local Level empowerment through co- management

Co-Management: Co-M Council 65 member s  Sharing of responsibilities established Wood Entr Govt. Agen 6% through formation of Co-management Elites 11% Councils and committee (CMC). Framed 8% Foresters by Govt. on 15.5. 06 12% Local People Local reprs  CMC responsible for management of PAs 54% 9% on local stakeholders participation. They perform activities of PA under the guidance of council and approved by FD.  People (30-100) of the adjacent Co-M Committee 19 members organized to form Conservation

Wood Entr Forum (VCF) with 1/3 female members, Elites Govt. Agen 3% Peoples Forum (PF) with One pair of 7% 10% VCF member elected. Community Patrol LocalPeople groups (CPG) , Eco-Tour guides are 45% Foresters selected from villages and represented in 28% Local repr CMCs. 7%

Sundarbans Restoration Iniciatives Sustain ban on logging in Sundarbans since 1989 for biodiversity conservation, One third of Sundarbans is declared as Protected Areas. 3 more dolphine Sanctuaries. Fishing ban on 18 Canals which is highly potential for natural fish breeding ecology . Digging of 100 ponds to provide wild life with safe drinking water. Assisted natural regeneration and enrichment plantation carried out in degraded areas. Re-Excavation of derelict canals along the border of Sundarbans in 2005. Ban on marketing and use of two spp. (Sundari & Passur) timber imposed in 2007. Tiger Action Plan 2009-17. Compensation for tiger victims launched. Co-management of mangrove forest has been piloted in 2010.

Sustainability of Co-management

The Co-management system of PA has been Institutionalized through approval of Grant Financing system on 29/3/2009, in which 50% of revenue back 4 CMCs to CMC to bear recurring expenditure of management. established.

 Co-management is the main principle of natural Village forum of resources management as per new 33,009 people (Preservation and security) act 2012. for effective implementation of the Act Co-management Rules Training and is under preparation. support for AIG  CMC is empowered to collect revenue on behalf provided. of forest department.

 Co-management organizations and VCFs are A target of 45,000 registered with the Social welfare Department in resource users the country; set for self-

reliance  CMCs are always consulted in Management Plans preparation of protected areas.

Projects implemented in Sundarbans

Name of the Project Period Funding Main activities 1.Integrated Resource Development of the 1993 - UNDP Infrastructures & logistic Sundarbans.. 1995 Improvement. 2.Development of Wildlife Conservation 1995 GOB Infrastructure & logistics and Management (Revised) 1997 Improvement 3.Forest Resources Management 1992- IDA, Infrastructure and logistic. Project (Partly) 2000 GOB 4. Biodiversity Conservation in the 1999 to ADB, Infrastructures, Vegetation cover, Sundarbans Mangrove forests. 2005 GOB Tourism, Aquatic resource dev & reduce dependency of people. 5. A Study on Behavior and Ecology of the 2002 to USAID Study on Tiger behaviour. in the SRF of Bangladesh (TAPP) 2006 6. Management Assistance for Sundarbans 2005 to GOB Infrastructures and logistics Mangrove forest. 2010 Improvement. 7. Integrated Protected Area Co- 2010 to USAID, To reduce dependency of management (IPAC-Nishorgo) 2013 GOB people on SRF resources. 8. Support to Essential Management 2008 to UNESCO Infrastructural development Capacity in the Sundarban WHS following 2011 After cyclone Sidr the passage of Cyclone SIDR- On going Projects Project Name Duration Funding Main Activities 1. Sundarban Environmental And 2012-2015 EU, GoB Reduce pressure on Livelihoods Security (SEALS) (1st resources, logistics Revised) infrastructures 2. Strengthening Regional Co-operation 2011-2016 IDA, GoB Wildlife Protection for Wildlife Protection Project (Part) & management. 3. Sustainable Development and 2012-15 GoB, GIZ Plantation on the

Biodiversity Conservation in Coastal periphery, training, (Protection) Forest(SDBC-Sundarbans) ect. 4. Climate Resilient Ecosystem and 2012-2015 EU, GoB To Reduce Pressure Livelihoods (CREL) (Part) of Sundarbans. 5. Bengal Activity 2011-2016 IDA, GoB Tiger conservation (Bagh) Settlement and are unavoidable in PAs (Restricted by ) of Bangladesh.

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% Settlement 30% Fallow/Agri. 20% Herb/shrub 10% Forest 0%

Sustainable Management of PAs not possible Without Active participation of local people and Economic incentives for their Participation Main Activities to reduce dependency of people on Sundarbans. (By NGOs)

• Identifying Sundarbans dependent households, their needs and capacities. • Formation of community groups, market study for IGAs, Alternative IGAs • Conservation education, community infrastructure improvement. • Development of skills and vocational training of the community groups & awareness raising of local community. • Improvement of disaster, early warning knowledge, develop and train volunteer group • Access to educational institutions for community members to health clinic & water/sanitation services. • Women rehabilitation through off farm activities

http://www.bforest.gov.bd . Protected Area Co-Management where People and Poverty Intersect, by Philipe DeCosse, et al. 2012 Protectedd Area 9999Co-Management in Bangladesh, Koli, Anar, Tsukuba Uni, 2010. People’s Livelihood and involvement in Co-management in Modhupur N P, Bangladesh.Rokeya Wikipedia, Protected Area Planning and Management, Global experience. And FD records consulted in preparing presentation.